Moncada glad he wasn’t hurt worse in collision
Top prospect Yoan Moncada was relieved to learn he probably will miss just a few games for the Chicago White Sox after bruising his right knee in a frightening collision with outfielder Willy Garcia.
Moncada said Tuesday he expects to be out two or three days. Garcia, meanwhile, was put on the seven-day disabled list because of a concussion.
“I was very concerned about the knee because I was in a lot of pain,” Moncada said through a translator. “But once they brought me in here, they told me it was nothing serious, and I feel relieved.”
Garcia and Moncada were chasing Darwin Barney’s bases-loaded blooper in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays when the second baseman kneed a sliding Garcia in the head. The ball trickled out of Garcia’s glove for a three-run double.
Moncada put no pressure on his right leg while he was helped to a cart by teammate Jose Abreu. The team said X-rays on Moncada were negative. Garcia said he lost consciousness before walking off on his own power.
“What happened was I went out to try to catch the ball,” Moncada said.
“We were running full speed . ... At the last minute I saw him, and I was trying to avoid him, but it was too late and I couldn’t do anything. I tried to jump, but it was too late,” he added.
Moncada said he was in excruciating pain and was concerned at first that the injury was more serious. But he and the White Sox felt better Monday night after X-rays showed no structural damage.
He said he is icing the knee and doing some squats.
Moncada has seen the replay several times and is glad Garcia did not suffer a more serious injury.
“Yes, I was really concerned at first for him because I knew that it was his head, and when you hit the head it’s very dangerous,” Moncada said. “But then I saw him here and I saw he was OK, and I was relieved.”
With Garcia going on the disabled list, the White Sox purchased infielder/outfielder Nicky Delmonico’s contract from Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday. He was batting fifth and playing left field Tuesday against Toronto in his Major League Baseball debut.
The 25-year-old Delmonico — in his sixth professional season — was watching TV on his couch in Charlotte when he got the call. “It kind of flashes before your eyes, everything that you’ve done to get here. It’s just a great moment. I’m trying to take everything in. I tried to text all the people that I could text.”